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Helen's complaint against Ramsgate Glass Centre

Helen Bowman

04/11/2016

Glass splashback cracked when I lifted the pan lid & steam escaped!

Complaint against
Ramsgate Glass Centre

We'll let me tell you a story about these fellas.
Let's call the owner, for the purpose of this story, Pinnochio. I asked if I could have a piece of Georgian wired glass as a splash back behind my new hob which was set into my new granite worktops. He said " of course madam, that will look lovely, would you like screw holes as glue would look unsightly?". I asked the price and without haggling accepted and placed the order. "That will be ready in a week", Pinnochio said.
"Now don't be telling stories", piped up the elderly man in an overall, let's call him Geppetto for this story. "You know it won't be ready that quick. You don't want to disappoint the customer now do you. It will be ready in 10 days". That's perfect I said.
So it was picked up & fitted & looked beautiful but, there's got to be a but hasn't there or there would be no story. First time using the back ring of the hob I heard a crack as I lifted the lid & the hot steam escaped. I was shocked to see a big crack in the lovely new splashback which was made from the same glass you see in fire doors!
I called the shop & spoke to a girl, let's call her Pinnochios apprentice. " I will get Pinnochio to call you back", she said.
2 days later I still had not heard from anyone so I emailed the shop & sent photos of the glass. I then called again. Pinnochios apprentice said " I will get Pinnochio to call you straight back". I told her she had already said that 2 days ago & I had since sent photos in an email so they could see the damage.
I waited another day with still no call so went into the shop to see what was happening. Geppetto and the apprentice were both there but no Pinnochio.
I asked if they had seen the photos & they had & with that the apprentice got them on the screen on the computer. I explained I was shocked this had happened and would like a refund as no point in replacing it to happen all over again. Once again they both said Pinnochio would call.
He called the next day and true to his name he said, " I did tell you not to use this glass behind a hob". Of course I said he had said nothing like that because. Of course I would not have ordered it. " it can only be used if it's 6" away from the hob" Pinnochio spouted. I said I don't know how that would ever be possible as it's a standard depth worktop with a standard depth hob set in and the distance could never be more than 3". "Well I've fitted loads of them & I've always fitted them that distance away & I've never had a problem" he exclaimed! I said a refund is what I would like please as this glass is not fit for the purpose it was sold for. "Well maybe I thought you were putting it as a splashback in a bathroom" Pinnochio squealed down the phone. "How do I know what you wanted it for" he blabbered again.
I explained to him calmly that of course at the start of the story he had already said it would look nice in my new kitchen. Then secondly he had apparently told me that I had to fit it at least 6" away from the hob ( which could never be possible ) and then thirdly he exclaimed that he had never know where I had wanted it for!
I mentioned that Geppetto had been there at the point of ordering the glass & again there when I went in to complain & surely good hearted, big conscious, ol Geppetto would have piped up at some point to correct Pinocchio that it wasn't fit for the purpose I had needed as he had already been so helpful at the beginning, warning Pinocchio not to fib about the timescale? Surely when Geppetto & the apprentice would have said to me when I was in the shop looking at the photos together, that it was no where near the regulated 6" from the hob? One experienced ol kindly man, always doing the right thing, whilst apprentice Pinocchio might be too eager to please just like the owner Pinnochio?
Well the ending of this story is the flustered Pinnochio, who had backed himself into a corner, figuratively & physically speaking, trying to fit the whole glorious length of his nose into his workshop whilst still attached to the phone. Needles to say he hung up!
Trading standards and consumer rights are the way forward and stick to the chains where your money back guarantee is almost automatic as the staff are taught what the "little business man" isn't, that the customer should always be right! And future custom will flood in of course like at good ol Marks & Spencers x

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